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Laughing, Sky shook her head. “We have a rehearsal in three days at the SEAL team HQ. I’m kind of excited. I’ve never seen the inside of a SEAL team building.”
“It’s a rare look at our inner space,” Dylan agreed. “I understand Master Chief Butch Carpenter is going to be the master of ceremonies and make it happen inside the HQ.”
Fondly, Sky nodded. “He was the Master Chief of Ben Gordon’s team. I’ve yet to meet him, but Cal truly admires the man.”
“We call him Butch for short,” Dylan murmured, a wry smile on his face. “He’s forty-four years old and got twenty years in with the SEALs. I think he’ll die with his boots on and never leave the team. Someday, they’ll drag his dead body out of there,” and he chuckled fondly.
“Cal said Butch has red hair.”
“Yeah, and he had a helluva temper to go with it when things went south. The man is a master dancer politically speaking, but then, most Master Chief’s are. They run the SEAL teams top down.”
“Cal said he’s got ties clear up to the President’s office. Do you think that’s true?”
Dylan shrugged. “Butch Carpenter is a force of nature, Sky. If you want something done, the man is a magician. That’s why Cal wanted him on this wedding ceremony. Butch will make sure it goes down right or else.”
“This guy is like a legend in ST3,” she murmured, shaking her head. “I can hardly wait to meet him.”
“Tomorrow, Cal and all of us are going over at 0900 to HQ to sit down in one of the briefing rooms with him. You and Lauren are invited along, of course, because it’s your wedding and she’s your maid of honor.”
Looking at her watch, she said, “Lauren’s supposed to be here any time, now.”
“Cal said she’s hell on wheels. Is she?”
Grinning, Sky said, “I’ll let you decide that, okay?”
“And what about the combat medic who saved you?”
“Oh, that’s Alexei Kazak. We call him Alex. He’s been hired by Shield as a security contractor. Even better, he’s being given political asylum with his sister Kira, here in the U.S. They’ve been given a pathway to earn their green cards and eventually, become U.S. citizens. It’s a happy ending for this guy, Dylan. Alex saved our lives.”
“Spetsnaz operators are almost as good as SEALs,” Dylan said. He looked up and saw a tall, red-haired woman in a black t-shirt, dark green cargo pants and black combat boots at the front door. “Hey, is that Lauren?”
With a shriek, Sky leaped up, quickly placed her glass on the table and hurried to open the front door.
“Lauren! You made it,” and Sky gave her a quick hug of hello.
“Like I wouldn’t make it,” Lauren teased her. She walked through the door, saw Dylan and halted.
Sky quickly introduced them.
Dylan slowly stood up and picked up his crutches. “Tell you what. You ladies enjoy a nice quiet chat with one another. I’m going to go get a beer and join the guys outside.”
“Yeah,” Sky teased him unmercifully, “you can’t stand missing a good joke, Dylan.” She quickly got up and slid the door open so he could hobble through and be with his buddies.
Turning after she slid the door shut, Sky said, “They are a rowdy group.” She returned to the living room where Lauren stood and asked, “Want to meet everyone else? Or get some wine first?”
Lauren tossed her long hair across her shoulder with a movement of her head. “Wine first.” She looked toward the sliding glass doors leading out to the patio. “Oh, hell, leave them be. They’re all sharing SEAL stories out there,” and she followed Sky to the kitchen.
Laughing, Sky said, “Yeah, it’s like old home week for these guys. How was your flight?”
“Okay,” Lauren murmured, taking the glass and holding it still while Sky poured the white wine into it. “Slept most of the way. So, I’m refreshed. I met Abby Harrison on the way out. I like her a lot.” She looked around the condo. “Nice digs.”
“It’s a very Japanese decor,” Sky agreed, “very peaceful feeling to me.”
There was a loud burst of laughter out on the sun deck.
“Well, almost peaceful,” Lauren corrected wryly, wrinkling her nose. She followed Sky into the living room, and they sat down on opposite corners of the couch.
“Those guys need this,” Sky said.
